ORIBI-Class Fleet Destroyer ordered from
William Denny at Dumbarton on 3rd September 1939 with the 1st Emergency
Flotilla. She was laid down on 22nd May 1940 and launched on 30th April 1942 as
the 2nd RN ship to carry this name, previously used for a destroyer sold in
1921. Completion date was 30th October 1942 and she was designed for use as a
minelayer if required. In March 1942 after a successful WARSHIP WEEK National
Savings campaign the ship was adopted by the civil community of Lymington, Hampshire.
B a t t l e H o n o u r s
JUTLAND 1916 - ARCTIC 1942-44 - BARENTS SEA 1942 - ATLANTIC 1943
- NORMANDY 1944
H e r a l d i c D a t a
Badge: On a Field Blue, a sea dog sejant
Proper, collared Gold.
D e t a i
l s o f W a r
S e r v i c e
(for more ship information,
go
to Naval History Homepage
and type name in Site Search)
1 9
4 2
October Contractor's trials.
30th Build completion and commenced
Acceptance Trials.
Commissioned for
service in 17th Destroyer Flotilla, Horns Fleet
November Took passage to Scapa Flow on
completion of trials and storing.
Joined Flotilla
at Scapa Flow and worked-up for service.
15th Deployed as screen for HM Cruisers
LONDON and SUFFOLK with HM Destroyers
OBDURATE and
ORWELL to Spitzbergen for routine replenishment of garrison
(Operation
GEARBOX Series).
December Deployed with Flotilla for Hone
Fleet screening and patrol in NW Approaches.
25th Joined Russian Convoy JW51B with HM Destroyers ACHATES, OBDURATE, ONSLOW,
ORIBI and ORWELL.
(Note: This
convoy was under threat of attack from German cruiser HIPPER and Armoured
Ship
LUTZOW (Ex DEUTSCHLAND) escorted by destroyers.
31st In action with German force in
defence of convoy (Battle of the Barents Sea).
Sustained damage
and casualties from heavy return fire.
(For full details
see 73 NORTH by Dudley North, RUSSIAN CONVOYS by R Woodman
and Naval Staff
History. HMS ACHATES and a Fleet Minesweeper
HMS BRAMBLE were
sunk. H M
Destroyers ONSLOW and OBDURATE were also
damaged and had many
casualties).
1 9 4 3
January Deployed for escort of Convoy
JW51B during passage to Murmansk..
(For details of
all Russian Convoy operations including names of all the warships involved in
escort or provision of cover see CONVOYS
TO RUSSIA by RA Ruegg, ,CONVOY ! by P
Kemp, ARCTIC
CONVOYS by R Woodman and THE RUSSIAN CONVOYS by B
Schoefield).
4th Detached on arrival of JW51B at
Kola Inlet and remained at Murmansk.
11th Took independent passage to Scapa Flow with HMS OBDURATE.
(Note: Seriously
wounded casualties from HMS ONSLOW were taken
back to UK.)
15th Arrived at Scapa Flow.
30th Escorted HM Battleship ANSON and HM Cruiser SHEFFIELD with HM Destroyers ORIBI,
INGLEFIELD and
Polish destroyer ORP PIORUN during provision of Distant Cover for transit
of return Convoy RA52 from Kola Inlet.
February
2nd On release from screening resumed Flotilla
Home Fleet duties with Flotilla.
19th Joined Ocean Escort for Russian
Convoy JW53 off Iceland with HM Destroyers MILNE,
BOADICEA,
INGLEFIELD, ORWELL, OPPORTUNE and OBDURATE for passage to Kola
Inlet.
(Note: Cover was
provided by ships of Home Fleet.
27th Detached on arrival after
particularly extreme weather conditions which limited extensive
enemy interference.
March
1st Joined Ocean Escort for return Convoy RA53 with H M Cruiser
SCYLLA and the same
destroyers as for
escort of JW53.
7th Detached from RA53 with HMS SCYLLA,
HMS INTREPID and HMS OBDURATE.
20th Deployed in Western Approaches for
North Atlantic convoy defence as 3rd Support Group
with HM
Destroyers OFFA, ORIBI, ORWELL, ONSLAUGHT and IMPULSIVE.
26th Reinforced escort for Convoy HX 230
which was under attack by U- Boats of SEEWOLF and
SEETEUFEL Groups.
29th Sustained structural damage in heavy
weather conditions.
31st Returned to Scapa
Flow.
April Support role deployment
with 3rd Escort Group in Atlantic continued.
to (For details of
development of tactics and weapons used in Atlantic see SEEK AND STRIKE
June by W Hackmann,
U-BOAT WAR IN THE ATLANTIC (HMSO), HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR
by C.Blair and
THE BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC by Donald MacIntyre)
July Resumed Home Fleet
screening duties in 17th Destroyer Flotilla.
27th Deployed with ships of Flotilla as
screen for HM Battleship DUKE CF YORK and the US
battleship USS
SOUTH DAKOTA during offensive sweep off Norway by Home Fleet..
(Operation GOVERNOR).
August
3rd Deployed with HMS OPPORTUNE and HMS
OBDURATE as screen for HM Aircraft
Carriers
ILLUSTRIOUS and UNICORN during anti-submarine air operations in NW
Approaches.
13th Escorted HMS UNICORN during passage
to Gibraltar with same consorts.
(Note: This
aircraft carriers was to be used during allied landings in Sicily.
(Operation HUSKY)).
The
presence of ship at Scapa Flow during visit to Home
Fleet by HM King George
VI on
15th August 1943 is therefore unlikely.)
20th Escorted damaged HM Aircraft Carrier
INDOMITABLE with HMS OBDURATE and
OPPORTUNE from Gibraltar to Norfolk, Va,
via Bermuda for repair.
31st On arrival at Norfolk detached and returned
to UK.
September Passage to rejoin Home Fleet at Scapa Flow..
Deployed with HM
Destroyers MAHRATTA, SHIKARI and SARDONYX .
(Operation SF -
Anti-submarine patrols in NW Approaches
October Part of escort for HM
Battleship VALIANT from Gibraltar to UK after Salerno landings
(Operation
AVALANCHE).
28th Carried out unsuccessful
anti-submarine operations with HM Destroyer TEAZER on passage
to Gibraltar.
Passage to
Iceland to join escort for Russian convoy.
November Part of escort for HM Battleship
KING GEORGE V from Gibraltar to UK after service in
Mediterranean.
18th Joined Ocean Escort for Russian
Convoy JW54A with HM Destroyers IMPULSIVE,
ONSLOW, ORWELL,
ONSLAUGHT, HAIDA (RCN), HURON (RCN) and IROQUOIS
(RCN).
19th Detached after steering gear
failure and returned to Iceland steering by engines.
Passage to Tyne shipyard after
temporary repair
Taken in hand
for refit and repair in Tyne shipyard.
December Under repair.
1 9 4 4
January Under repair
17th Passage to Scapa
Flow to resume Home Fleet duties after post refit trials.
February
6th Detached to reinforce Ocean Escort
of return Convoy RA56 during passage from Kola Inlet
with HM
Destroyers VERULAM and SWIFT after loss of HMS HARDY and damage to
HMS OBDURATE
whilst escorting Convoys JW56A and JW56B
. 9th Detached from RA56 with HMS VERULAM
and HMS SWIFT.
22nd Took passage to join Russian Convoy
JW57 as Ocean Escort with HM Escort Aircraft Carrier
CHASER, HM
Cruiser BLACK PRINCE, HM Destroyers OFFA, ONSLAUGHT, ORIBI and
MAHRATTA
24th Carried unsuccessful attacks on
U-Boat.
25th Under submarine attacks during
which HMS MAHRATTA was sunk by U990 with only 16
of her ship's
company surviving.
28th Detached from JW57 on arrival at
Kola Inlet.
March
3rd Part of escort for returning
Russian Convoy RA57 with HMS BLACK PRINCE, HM Escort
Aircraft Carrier CHASER and same destroyers as for JW57-
7th Detached from RA57 with HMS BLACK PRINCE, HM
Destroyers IMPULSIVE, METEOR,
SWIFT and VERULAM.
Passage to
rejoin Fleet at Scapa Flow.
29th Joined Ocean Escort for Russian
Convoy JW58 which sailed from Loch Ewe.
(Note: Escort
comprised HM Cruiser DIADEM, HM Escort Carriers ACTIVITY and
TRACKER with twelve Hone Fleet
destroyers including 17th Flotilla.)
April
4th Detached from JW58 on arrival at
Kola Inlet after unscathed passage.
7th Joined Ocean Escort for return
Convoy RA58 with same ships.
14th Detached from RA58 with HMS TRACKER,
HM Destroyers IMPULSIVE, ORIBI, SCORPION,
HM Corvettes BLUEBELL, HONEYSUCKLE and Sloops of 2nd Support
Group.
After return to Scapa Flow nominated with HMS OFFA, ONSLAUGHT, ONSLOW and
ORIBI
for support of
exercises prior to planned allied landings in Normandy.
20th Deployed with Flotilla as Force 27
and carried cut patrols and convoy defence.
28th Engaged E-Boats with HMS OFFA and
HMS ORWELL
.
(Note: Enemy ships had attacked landing Craft in Lyme Bay during passage from Plymouth
to
carry out assault landings on Slapton Sands and had
sunk several with heavy loss
loss
of life. (Exercise TIGER - See LANDINGS IN NORMANDY, JUNE 1944
(HMSO).)
May Resumed Flotilla duties
with Home Fleet based at Scapa Flow.
14th Part of screen for HM Escort
Carriers EMPEROR, STRIKER, HM Cruisers ROYALIST,
and SHEFFIELD
with H M Destroyers ONSLOW, URSA, WAKEFUL, Polish destroyers
PIORUN and BLYSKAWIKA for air attacks on shipping off Rorvik and Standlandet.
(Note: This was
one of a series of Home Fleet air attacks on Norwegian coast shipping and on
German battleship TIRPITZ.)
26th Nominated with 17th Flotilla for
support of allied landings in Normandy.
(Operation NEPTUNE
- For details of naval activities before and during the allied landings see
LANDINGS IN
NORMANDY, June 1944 (HMSO), OPERATION NEPTUNE by K. Edwards
and BRITISH
INVASION FLEETS by J de S Winser).
June Deployed in Dover Command with HMS OPPORTUNE and HMS ORWELL for patrol
duty to
the seaward side
of the coastal channel used by convoys to assault area.
6th In action with E-Boats of 4th
German MTB Flotilla based at Boulogne.
Enemy craft
withdrew.
7th In action with E-Boats of same
Flotilla 40 miles south of Beachy Head.
8th Deployed in Dover Command for
patrol and convoy defence.
11th Deployed with HM Destroyer Savage
for anti-submarine search off Beachy Head.
12th Channel deployment in continuation.
No major interruption of convoy traffic reported.
to
27th
28th Continued Channel deployment for
convoy defence and interception of surface or submarine
incursions into
Eastern Task Force area.
July
1st Carried out unsuccessful submarine
hunt in Channel with HM Destroyer SAVAGE after detection
by coastal
radar.
On completion of
patrol took passage for Boiler clean at Chatham.
26th In action against E-Boats attacking
a west bound convoy off Dungeness with HMS SAVAGE,
HMS OPPORTUNE
and MTB's of Light Coastal Forces.
August Resumed Flotilla duties
with Home Fleet at Scapa Flow.
September Escorted HM Cruiser JAMAICA with
HMS ORWELL for replenishment of the Spitsbergen
garrison
(Operation GEARBOX series).
October Home Fleet deployment with
Flotilla in continuation.
20th Flotilla exercises off Faeroes.
22nd Joined Ocean Escort for Russian
Convoy JW61 with HM Cruiser DIDO, HM Escort Aircraft
NAIRANA,
TRACKER, VINDEX and destroyers of the 17th Flotilla.
(Note: In
addition two Escort Groups of Frigates were deployed to strengthen the
anti-submarine
defence against the expected heavy U-Boat attacks).
28th Detached on arrival at Kola Inlet
after safe passage without loss.
November
2nd Escorted returning Convoy RA61 with
same ships.
9th Detached from RA61 with Flotilla on
arrival at Loch Ewe.
Resumed Home Fleet
screening duties in NW Approaches.
December
1st Joined escort for Russian Convoy
JW62 with HM Cruiser BELLONA, HM Escort Aircraft
Carriers CAMPANIA
and NAIRANA, destroyers of 17th and 7th Flotillas and ten RN
and RCN Frigates.
7th Detached on arrival at Kola Inlet
without loss of mercantiles.
10th Joined Ocean Escort for return
Convoy RA62 with same ships.
(Note: Before
departure frigates had carried out a special operation to attack an assembly
of
U-boats outside Inlet.)
11th HM Destroyer CASSANDRA damaged by
U-Boat torpedo and returned to Murmansk.
19th Detached from
RA62 and resumed Home Fleet duties at Scapa Flow.
31st Deployed with HM Destroyers
ORWELL, ZEPHYR and ZEALOUS for anti-submarine
search operations west of Orkneys.
1 9 4 5
January Deployed in Home Fleet with
Flotilla.
10th Joined Force 1 as escort for HM
Cruisers NORFOLK and BELLONA with HM
Destroyers
ONSLOW and ORWELL during shipping strike off Norway.
(Operation
SPELLBINDER)
11th In action against convoy and
escorts off Egersund.
12th Returned to Scapa
with Force 1.
February Home Fleet deployment in
continuation.
to Nominated for minelaying
operation off Kola Inlet after conversion.
March
April
6th Converted for minelaying operation
at Immingham
11th Carried cut minelay
in NW Approaches with APOLLO, OPPORTUNE and ORWELL.
(Operation CH - Part of Field
S3. This was done when Russian agreement for planned
minelay off Kola Inlet had not been obtained).
17th Detached for Kola minelay with HM Minelaying Cruiser APOLLO, HM Destroyers
ORWELL and OPPORTUNE as Force 5.
(Operation
TRAMMEL - See Naval Staff History (Mining).
(Note: Passage
in hazardous weather conditions.)
21st Delayed fuelling at Kola Inlet and
Russian insistence on prior inspection.
Embarked
Russian observers. (See ARCTIC DESTROYERS by GC Cornell).
22nd Laid A/S Trap minefield and
returned to refuel at Kola Inlet after passing over new field to
prove it had
been laid deep.
(Note: Cover
was provided by HM Cruiser DIDO.
23rd Sailed for Scapa
Flow with Force 5.
Speed reduced
to 15 knots when HMS ORWELL had reported split
in hull structure
26th Resumed Fleet duties on arrival at
Scapa Flow.
May
4th Escorted Fleet Auxiliary tanker BLUE RANGER with HMS ORWELL
for refuelling duties
in support of
returning Convoy RA66 during passage to UK.
5th Detached with HMS ORWELL to join
Task Force deployed on shipping strike west of Narvik
. (Operation
JUDGEMENT).
Joined HM
Destroyers CARYSFORT, OPPORTUNE, SAVAGE, SCOURGE, ZAMBESI as
screen for
HM Cruisers NORFOLK, DIADEM, HM Escort Aircraft
SEARCHER, QUEEN and
TRUMPETER.
(Note: Carrier
aircraft sank Depot Ship BLACK WATCH during air operations.)
Deployed for
Air Sea Rescue duties.
8th Detached with HM
Escort Aircraft Carriers SEARCHER, TRUMPETER, HM Cruiser
NORFOLK, HM
Destroyers CARYSFORT, ZAMBESI, OPPORTUNE and ORWELL to join
Task Force
covering passage of major ships to Copenhagen
for surrender of German forces in
Denmark. Ship
entered minefield and had to be detached from Task Force until area swept.
Ordered to
return to Scapa Flow when safe to leave area.
15th Escorted HM Cruiser NORFOLK on
Flag visit to Bergen
26th Arrived
at Kiel for Guardship duties and support of clearance
operations to allow reopening of
Kiel Canal.
June Deployed at Kiel in
connection with collection of surrendered U-Boats.
15th Deployed as Guardship
in Baltic ports including Travemunde.
(Note: This
duty was rotated with HM Destroyers ORIBI, OFFA and OBDURATE.)
Passage to UK
for special duty.
July Deployed in Hone waters.
Escorted US
cruiser USS PHILADELPHIA during passage in Channel.
(Note: Mr
Truman, President of USA was embarked for passage to Potsdam Conference with
allied
leaders.
August During visit to Tromso took German State Yacht GRAF as Prize.
(Note: This
yacht was used by RN during post war years.)
Under refit.
P o s
t W a r N o t e s
HMS OBEDIENT remained in service after refit and took part
in Operation DEADLIGHT, the destruction of surrendered
U-Boats in NW Approaches. She then joined the Portsmouth Local Flotilla for use
by the Torpedo School.
The ship was reduced to Reserve status in October 1947 at Sheerness and was
refitted in 1949- She was re-commissioned
on 17th October 1952 and deployed at Portsmouth for service in the Local
Flotilla including taking
part in the Coronation Review. After July 1953 this ship used for Air -Sea
rescue duties during air operations
by aircraft carriers in Channel. After acceptance into the Reserve Fleet at
Chatham in December that year she
briefly commissioned for further service for trials in February 1956 but then
returned to Reserve at Chatham
.A proposal to convert this ship and HMS OBDURATE for use as Anti-submarine
Frigates was not implemented and she was laid-up in Reserve at Hartlepool in 1957. The ship was put on the Disposal List
in 1961 and
sold to BISCO for demolition by Hughes Bolcow, She
arrived in tow at the Breakers yard in Blyth on 19th
October 1962.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS
OBEDIENT
by Don Kindell
These convoy lists have not been cross-checked
with the text above
|
|
|
|
|
Date convoy sailed
|
Joined convoy as escort
|
Convoy No.
|
Left convoy
|
Date convoy arrived
|
|
|
|
|
|
25/12/42
|
03/01/43
|
JW 051B
|
22/12/42
|
04/01/43
|
01/02/43
|
02/02/43
|
RA 052
|
29/01/43
|
09/03/43
|
19/02/43
|
27/02/43
|
JW 053
|
15/02/43
|
27/02/43
|
01/03/43
|
07/03/43
|
RA 053
|
01/03/43
|
14/03/43
|
27/03/43
|
28/03/43
|
SC 123
|
14/03/43
|
03/04/43
|
29/03/43
|
31/03/43
|
HX 230
|
18/03/43
|
02/04/43
|
18/11/43
|
19/11/43
|
JW 054A
|
15/11/43
|
24/11/43
|
06/02/44
|
09/02/44
|
RA 056
|
03/02/44
|
11/02/44
|
22/02/44
|
28/02/44
|
JW 057
|
20/02/44
|
28/02/44
|
02/03/44
|
07/03/44
|
RA 057
|
02/03/44
|
10/03/44
|
29/03/44
|
04/04/44
|
JW 058
|
27/03/44
|
04/04/44
|
07/04/44
|
14/04/44
|
RA 058
|
07/04/44
|
14/04/44
|
22/10/44
|
28/10/44
|
JW 061
|
20/10/44
|
28/10/44
|
02/11/44
|
07/11/44
|
RA 061
|
02/11/44
|
09/11/44
|
01/12/44
|
07/12/44
|
JW 062
|
29/11/44
|
07/12/44
|
10/12/44
|
18/12/44
|
RA 062
|
10/12/44
|
19/12/44
|
05/05/45
|
08/05/45
|
RA 066
|
29/04/45
|
08/05/45
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note on Convoys)